Residence Hall Providing ‘Relief Housing’ for Local COVID-19 Testers

April 07, 2020

Angelo State University has opened its Carr Hall residence hall to local medical staff from Shannon Medical Center and San Angelo Community Medical Center who are conducting the daily public testing for the COVID-19 virus.

ASU's Carr Hall residence hallThe arrangement was made based on recommendations from the American Academy of Family Physicians that “relief housing” be provided for medical staff who do not want to risk returning home and possibly exposing their families to the COVID-19 virus.

Any local medical staff who take advantage of the Carr Hall relief housing will go through full decontamination each day before they proceed to the ASU campus. Social distancing guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will also be adhered to in Carr Hall.

Shane Plymell, president/CEO of Shannon Medical Center, voiced the need for local relief housing, and ASU President Brian May identified Carr Hall as an option. With a 20-person capacity, Carr Hall began housing medical personnel on Sunday, April 5.

ASU’s residence halls are under the purview of Dr. Javier Flores, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management.

Dr. Javier Flores“Angelo State is committed to helping the community in keeping our medical providers healthy as they help us fight the COVID-19 pandemic,” Flores said. “Both Shannon and Community Hospitals have been strong partners and supporters of Angelo State, and now it’s our turn to help them.”

According to Flores, Carr Hall was the best choice for relief housing because it is completely empty of students and has ample parking adjacent to the building. It is particularly convenient for the Shannon medical staff working at the COVID-19 testing station in the parking lot across from Shannon Clinic-Jackson on the east side of the ASU campus. No charges or fees will be assessed to any medical staff utilizing the ASU relief housing.

Additionally, in a separate initiative on March 26, the ASU Department of Biology donated and delivered 12,000 latex gloves to Shannon Medical Center.